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David Tran, the creator of Sriracha hot sauce, started his business after leaving Vietnam for the U.S. Tran's story shows the power of caring about your business, focusing on quality and offering a distinctive experience, according to venture capitalist Mark Suster. Tran refused to change his product for American tastes, telling his suppliers, "Hot sauce must be hot. If you don't like it hot, use less. We don't make mayonnaise here."

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Decide whether your burn rate is excessive by considering factors such as valuation, the availability of investment dollars and the value of growth, writes venture capitalist Mark Suster. Don't forget about economic volatility, he writes, especially if your company is advertising-dependent or reliant on just a few customers.

Americans spent more money last year on mayonnaise than any other condiment, according to market-research firm Euromonitor. Ketchup was next on the list, followed by soy sauce, barbecue sauce and hot sauce.

Phillips Distilling is adding a spicy mix to its line of UV Vodka with the introduction of UV Sriracha Vodka that combines the hot sauce with garlic and vegetable flavors. Phillips has its own sriracha blend, so it won't be hit by a potential hot sauce shortage. "UV Sriracha is not too hot, not too spicy and the ideal vodka to punch up a Bloody Mary," said Jim Aune, Phillips' director of research and development.

Subway launched two new sandwiches over the weekend that are topped with creamy Sriracha sauce, making it the latest chain to incorporate the spicy sauce. Sriracha popped up on 47 chain restaurant menus last year, according to Mintel, as eateries worked to keep up with consumers' growing craving for hot spices, and Trader Joe's recently launched a private label version of the bottled sauce.

Vietnamese immigrant David Tran built the Huy Fong Foods empire to market Sriracha, a hot sauce he brewed up after deciding that American sauces were too bland. Tran resisted calls to create a milder sauce and now sells more than $60 million worth of his recipe a year. "My American dream was never to become a billionaire," Tran says. "We started this because we like fresh, spicy chili sauce."